The only changes for 1986 were the addition of the new high lift cams and a furrther reduction in weight, shaving off another 20kgs.
By this stage the Alfa’s were developing about 260 HP and as the laps times reflected there wasn’t much difference now between Gulson and the works team which was now having to do much more locally as budgets dried up for 1986.
The car also gained, I think, it’s definitive livery, the Dulux Autocolour paint scheme. I think the car looks its best in these colours and certainly it was at the peak of it’s development and performance.
The continued improvements meant the car was now on pretty much equal footing with the works cars. The car qualified with a 2:30.62.
At 12:30, the 3 Alfa’s had set their fastest race laps within a second of each other, Bond a 2:30, Rooklyn and Gulson a 2:31 each.
For Gulson, the fastest race lap of 2:31 would stand for the rest of the race as a cracked bell housing on the ever reliable Alfa slowed the team and while they were able to see the race out and take the chequered flag (and 6th in class) they had completed insufficient laps (94) to be classified. This broke Ray's record of 14 Bathurst race starts and finishes.
This was the last Bathurst, and after more than 650 race laps there was now only the Australian GP in Adelaide before retirement.
